


Dubious Historicity

by darthrevaan (Burning_Nightingale)



Series: The Black Library [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Darth Vex, First Meetings, M/M, Sith Obi-Wan, The Black Library
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-05-14 21:51:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5760154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burning_Nightingale/pseuds/darthrevaan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After being sent to a remote Outer Rim world to confront a newly-discovered Sith Lord, Anakin discovers that the dark side isn't quite as clear cut as the Jedi make it out to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Great Expectations

**Author's Note:**

> The first chapter of this was published a while back on my tumblr: http://darthrevaan.tumblr.com/post/118697971098/okay-so-you-guys-remember-hamelin-borns-sith 
> 
> I've now been through and edited it a little, and the story will continue!

Anakin landed the small ship about half a klick away from the supposed entrance to the Sith Library. He didn’t want to alert the possible Sith Lord to his presence, but he didn’t want to hike for days to get there, either, so it was a good compromise. The Council had emphasized that he would need to be swift in order to use the element of surprise to his advantage. The Sith Lord didn’t know they’d been detected, and taking them out before they had the chance to do any damage was essential.

Privately, Anakin felt a little glow of pride whenever he thought about his mission. The Council had discovered a Sith Lord, and had trusted _him_ to take care of it for them. Perhaps it was because of their belief in his destiny as the Chosen One, but whatever the cause, Anakin had an important mission to complete and he was _not_ going to fail. In fact, he was confident that he wouldn’t.

His clone commander was not so confident. “I still think I should come with you, General,” Rex protested as Anakin strode down the ship’s ramp. “It’s far too dangerous to go alone.”

“Rex, only a Jedi can match a Sith in combat,” Anakin said, pausing at the base of the ramp to smile reassuringly up at the other man. “I’ll be just fine. You wait here and make sure no one comes or goes without us knowing about it.”

Rex still looked uneasy, but he nodded and disappeared back into the ship with a quiet, “Yes, General.” As Anakin turned to walk away, he added as an afterthought, “Good luck!”

Anakin could have said the Jedi didn’t believe in luck, but he was fairly sure that for this mission, he’d need a bit of it.

The hike wasn’t a hard one. The landscape was arid and forbidding, flat salt plains stretching for miles under the permanently overcast sky. Anakin knew the high banks of dark grey cloud overhead were made of up of the ash and dust that spewed day and night from the highly volcanic equatorial region – and were therefore completely natural – but they gave the planet a grim, inhospitable atmosphere.

At the end of his trek Anakin found exactly what he expected to; a small domed building of forbidding black stone, standing alone on the plain with a deceptively abandoned air. It didn’t look very impressive, but he knew the majority of the huge library was underground – this was only the entrance. There was no outer door, and in the cool, dark space within Anakin found the controls for what looked like a turbolift. The platform was at the bottom of the shaft, and the ring of empty space was pitch black and seemed to ooze a taint of darkness like a clinging, living miasma. Anakin nodded to himself; he was definitely in the right place.

He debated the wisdom of calling the lift, but in the end decided there was no other feasible way to get down. It took a long time to purr up the shaft, and it seemed like an eternity as Anakin descended, blank rock walls flashing past on all sides, the air growing cooler as he went.

The lift eventually arrived in the outer atrium of the Library, a huge, echoing space of black rock and carved walls. Anakin shivered; the air was chilly, and slightly dank. As he crossed the wide floor to the tall double doors opposite the lift, his footsteps echoing loudly in the silence, he selfishly wished he _had_ taken Rex up on his offer to accompany him. Even having Artoo rumbling and chirping beside him would have been a comfort against the huge underground silence. 

He reached the doors, steeled himself, and pushed them open.

The air on the other side was different; a lot warmer, and dry. Everything was lit with a warm, diffused orange glow which seemed to come from all around. Rows and rows of bookshelves retreated into the distance as far as the eye could see, all constructed of a dark, knotted wood and lined neatly with tightly packed volumes, both holobooks and the rarer paper variety. There was an air of hushed quiet, as if some great beast were asleep, and anyone entering the room would have to take great care not to disturb it.

Anakin swallowed. There was nothing for it but to go onward. Darkness radiated from the shelves, but it was the old, trapped darkness of artefacts and ancient Sith sorcery. He could feel a living darkness as well, the kind that could only be given off by a sentient creature, and it was moving around slowly, deeper inside the bookshelves. Stalking him, perhaps? Or as yet unaware of his presence? The rows and rows of shelving would be a good place for an ambush.

Anakin dropped his hand to the hilt of his lightsaber and started forward. There was no way he could see to draw the Sith out; he would just have to go and find them.

The bookshelves were a maze, but Anakin could sense the Sith Lord’s presence like a beacon, guiding him deeper and deeper within the stacks. At times he thought he saw movement in the corner of his vision, but when he turned everything was still. The back of his neck prickled like he was being watched, but when he checked all around, there was nothing to see. The library was unnervingly quiet, his footsteps and nervous breaths the only thing to break the silence.

He was close now. The Sith Lord could only be a few more rows away. He or she didn’t seem to be moving; perhaps they were lying in wait for him. Nerves twisted in his stomach, but he clamped down on them fiercely; he was a Jedi, and he would not be afraid.

When he rounded the last corner he pulled his lightsaber off his belt, thumbing the activation button in anticipation. He saw exactly what he expected to see; halfway down the row, a figure in black stood unmoving. Anakin assessed him quickly. Male, human or near enough, perhaps mid-thirties, average height, thin, auburn hair. He was reading from a thick book, and looked up with an expression that could only be described as curious when Anakin advanced towards him.

Anakin paused in front of him, eyeing the visible hilt of a lightsaber on his hip, and the Sith assessed him in return, looking him up and down and then raising an eyebrow. “Can I help you?”

The question was so unexpected that Anakin faltered, blinking. “I- what?”

“You’re actually trespassing on my property,” the Sith told him, looking slightly annoyed.

“On your- I- _what_?”

The Sith let out a long-suffering sigh. “It’s illegal to trespass, child. To break into someone else’s home.” When Anakin didn’t respond, he added, “That is what you have _done_ , if you didn’t notice.”

“The door was open,” Anakin said without really thinking about it.

The Sith’s raised eyebrow climbed higher. “And you just thought you’d walk right in, did you?”

“I- no-” Anakin shook his head, annoyed, and raised his lightsaber without igniting it. “I’m here to take you into custody.”

The Sith eyed the lightsaber with disdain. “Oh, you’re a Jedi. I suppose I should have guessed.” He sighed again. “Can’t you just leave me alone?”

“No,” Anakin said indignantly, “I’ve been sent by the Council especially to arrest you.”

“On what charges?”

Anakin blinked. “Charges?”

“To arrest someone, you have to charge them with something,” the Sith pointed out coolly.

“Well…” Anakin floundered. He had come prepared for a lightsaber battle, not a legal debate. “On the charge of being a Sith, I guess.”

“Ha,” the Sith looked triumphant. “Unfortunately for _you_ , being a Sith is not illegal. Now, _go away_.” He turned back to his book, clearly dismissive.

Anakin gaped at him. “Of course being a Sith is illegal! You’re, well, you’re…you’re a Sith!”

“And what am I doing that is such a great offense to the Republic?” the Sith asked, clearly exasperated. “I am not leading an army against them. I am not plotting to bring about their downfall. I am not rampaging around the galaxy burning and killing. No, I am simply hidden away on a remote planet, tending my library and conducting a few Force experiments. Nothing illegal in that. So I would thank you to _leave me alone_.”

Anakin had had enough of games; he ignited his lightsaber. “I have come to arrest you in the name of the Republic,” he announced, “Any force will be met-”

“Oh, for Force’s sake,” the Sith snapped, and Anakin was hit with a tidal wave of dark energy, so sudden and so strong that he gagged, his hand dropping so the end of his lightsaber singed the carpet. “Now look what you’ve done, you idiot,” the Sith said, clearly angry. Anakin had a moment’s warning, nothing more than a bright flash of light, before his whole body was consumed with crackling lightning. For a moment it felt like his very bones were on fire; then everything was black.

/

Anakin struggled back to consciousness slowly.

At first he could sense two other presences in the room. One was clearly steeped in the dark side, though it was more subtle than a presence like Dooku’s, Anakin now realized. The other was about as Force sensitive as a rock, and had a distinctly non-Human feel to them, in a strangely familiar way.

The next thing to come back to him were their voices. “…a Jedi, not a stray akk pup,” one voice said, low and raspy. “You should have killed him.”

“That would have been premature,” said the other voice, which Anakin recognised as belonging to the Sith. “Besides, he’s a very cute Jedi. Sweet, even though he’s an idiot.”

“You are going _soft_. Look at you, pawing him like a mother pittin.”

Anakin realized belatedly that someone was carding their fingers gently through his hair. It was both comforting and uncomfortable at the same time, but he didn’t have any strength to lift his arms and push the hand away.

“Why don’t you go find him some food, Natta?” the Sith said sharply. “He’ll be hungry when he wakes up.”

“Oh, get him some food, make him a bed, stoke his hair,” Natta said, “What’s next? Are you going to bring him warm milk and read him a bedtime story?”

“Natta,” the Sith said warningly.

“ _Fine_. I’m going.” There was an odd noise, one that Anakin felt was very familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. It sounded almost like…flapping wings. The noise receded, and Natta’s presence left the room.

It was very quiet after that. The only sound Anakin could hear was the soft sigh of the Sith’s breathing; he was very close, Anakin thought, a little pit of anxiety burning in his stomach.

He let out a low groan, and the Sith whipped his hand back like he’d been burnt. “Hello? Can you hear me?” he asked, voice sharp.

Cautiously, Anakin cracked open his eyes. The light hurt, but he persevered, and the Sith’s face came swimming into view above him. “I don’t feel well,” he croaked.

“No, well of course you don’t,” the Sith said, rolling his eyes. “If you’d just left when I asked, you would be fine, wouldn’t you?”

Anakin tried to summon up a glare, but all he managed was a weak frown. “Why were you stroking my head?” he asked, voice groggy.

For a second he thought he saw surprise on the Sith’s face; then it was gone, and his expression was blank neutral. “You hit your head,” he said shortly.

Anakin could’ve pressed the issue – asked why the Sith called him ‘cute’ – but he sensed that might tick the Sith off, and he decided self-preservation would have to take precedence over his curiosity.

“Now,” the Sith said, “What’s your name?” Anakin remained tight-lipped, trying to glare more forcefully. The Sith sighed exasperatedly. “Shall I tell you mine? It’s Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

Anakin blinked. “Shouldn’t there be a ‘Darth’ in there somewhere?”

“Oh, well, that’s more of a ceremonial title. But it’s Darth Vex, if you must know.”

“That because you’re _vexing_?” Anakin asked drily.

Obi-Wan gave him a look. “No. It’s because ‘vex’ is an ancient Gree title that referred to someone of great scholarly knowledge.”

“Huh. I guess that fits.” Obi-Wan was looking at him expectantly, so he gave in. “It’s Anakin Skywalker. Jedi Knight.”

Obi-Wan paused momentarily, an expression of surprise on his face for just an instant; then he smiled smugly. “Yes, I believe you mentioned that.”

Anakin tried to move his arms and groaned; he felt like he’d been hit by a speeder. “What the hell did you do to me?”

“Force lightning. I would have thought you’d recognise it; it’s rather a staple of the Sith.” Obi-Wan inspected his nails nonchalantly. “If you’d thought to raise your ‘saber, you could have deflected it.”

“Where is my lightsaber?” Anakin asked. He could sense it was missing from its usual place on his belt.

“Oh, it’s at the bottom of the underground lake,” Obi-Wan said casually.

“ _What_?!” Anakin almost managed to sit up in shock; then every muscle in his body gave a scream of protest, and he laid back hurriedly.

“Or possibly it’s locked away in one of the vaults. Or perhaps it’s hidden in the bookshelves. Or maybe I have it right here.” Obi-Wan smiled nastily at him. “You really have no way of knowing, do you?”

This time, Anakin managed a proper glare. “You know what, I’ve already decided I don’t like you.”

“My dear, you wound me. I think you’re quite interesting.” A flicker of presence in the hall made them both look round. “Ah, here comes Natta with the food.”

The door opened, and a Toydarian fluttered inside, flapping laboriously under the weight of the tray she was carrying. “Ah, the pup’s awake, is he?” she said sullenly, setting the tray down on the large table that was pushed against one wall. “What does he need next? New clothes? Blankets? A bath?”

“The food will be just fine, Natta,” Obi-Wan said with an amused smile.

Anakin eyed the Toydarian with trepidation. “Who is that?”

“Natta, meet Anakin Skywalker, our Jedi guest. Anakin, this is Natta, my housekeeper and fellow archivist.”

Natta stuck one knobby finger at Anakin. “Just for the record, Jedi, I advocated for killing you, and if I see an opportunity to off you myself, I’ll take it.”

Obi-Wan looked scandalized. “Natta! Don’t threaten a guest in my house!”

“A guest,” Natta snorted, “He’s a _Jedi_ , master. Don’t forget that.”

Obi-Wan looked like he was going to reply, but there was a sudden scuffling over by the door. “Go away!” Natta yelled in that direction.

Obi-Wan ran a hand over his eyes and said sharply, “No, Natta, don’t tell him to go away.” In a softer tone he called, “You can come in, Luppo, it’s alright.”

There was another rustle, and a small furry head peeked around the door. A Bothan, Anakin saw with slight surprise. “I just wanted to look at the Jedi,” he said quietly.

“Come in, then,” Obi-Wan said, his tone far more gentle than Anakin had imagined he could be.

The Bothan – Luppo – scurried up and paused by the bed, staring up at Anakin and twisting his fingers together nervously. At a loss, Anakin said, “Hi.”

Luppo nodded sharply, his movements quick and jumpy. He managed a smile and a muttered ‘hello’, then hurried out of the room again.

“Don’t mind him,” Obi-Wan said, “Luppo has confidence and anxiety issues. The calming atmosphere of the library and the solitary nature of the work do wonders for him.”

Anakin wouldn’t exactly describe the atmosphere of the huge library as calming – try _creepy_ – but he kept that to himself. “Well,” he said after a pause, “What are you going to do with me, then, if you’re not going to kill me?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t decided yet.” Obi-Wan got up abruptly, adjusting his cloak so it fell properly around him. Now that Anakin had the chance to study him better, he saw with surprise that Obi-Wan’s robes were near identical to a Jedi’s – only the cloak was black, and the tunics were a washed-out grey. Obi-Wan also wore his belt over the cloak as well as the tunics, so it was cinched in to his waist rather than allowed to billow out behind him. 

“I would like to take a look at your friends’ DNA, though,” Obi-Wan said thoughtfully. “They’re quite exquisitely cloned.”

“My- wait, you found the ship?” Anakin asked, dread curling in his stomach.

“Well, it wasn’t _hard_ ,” Obi-Wan said with a raised eyebrow. “And I was more than a match for two soldiers.”

“Did you kill them?” Anakin demanded.

“No, they’re perfectly alright. I believe they’re down in the dining room.” Obi-Wan eyed Anakin. “You still look weak. I think it’s best if they come to you.” He turned on his heel and strode away. “Come, Natta. I’m not leaving you in here with him.” Sending an acidic glare Anakin’s way, Natta fluttered out behind her master.

Anakin lay back on the bed. Every bone and muscle in his body ached like crazy, and he was starting to feel nauseous in addition to the headache that was building behind his eyes. Weakly, he fumbled around in his belt for the emergency comm link and felt that, unsurprisingly, it had been taken, as had all of his other tools and gadgets. Obi-Wan – or Darth Vex, as he should perhaps call him – knew what he was about, then.

Anakin lay there, alternately cursing himself and trying not to wallow in pain, for what seemed like an age before the door opened again. “Here he is,” Obi-Wan’s voice said.

Two familiar presences hurried into the room. “General!” Rex exclaimed, worry clear in his voice.

“Hey, guys,” Anakin said, smiling weakly as the clones leant over him, identical concerned expressions on their faces.

“Are you alright, General?” Fives asked.

“Mostly,” Anakin said with a grimace. “I’m not great, but I’ll live.”

With a glance at the door, Fives lowered his voice and said, “We tried to take him, General, but that lightning thing he did…”

“It’s fine, Fives,” Anakin said quietly. “The only way you can deflect it is with a lightsaber.”

“He didn’t get Rex,” Fives said with a grin. “Too quick, our captain.”

“But he threatened to kill you if we didn’t come with him, sir, so I decided we’d be best off surrendering and living to fight another day,” Rex said solemnly.

“Yeah, yeah, that’s good.” Anakin also looked toward the door. Obi-Wan was still there, feigning innocence, but Anakin was sure he could hear every word. “Just…don’t stir the waters, alright?” It was a code between them; it meant ‘lie low, don’t do anything until I give the word, I’m forming a plan, wait for my signal’.

They both nodded sharply. “We’ll just enjoy the food, General,” Fives said with a wink.

Anakin managed a small laugh. _That_ wasn’t code; if there was an abundance of food, Fives would be sure to take advantage of it.

Cautiously, Rex turned toward the door and said, “How long is he gonna be laid up here?”

Obi-Wan regarded him with an unreadable expression. “He should spend at least one night, to recuperate properly.” He looked between Rex and Fives. “It’s past midnight; I will show you to a sleeping chamber.”

Both clones glanced at Anakin, and he nodded just slightly. _Go along with it_. “Lead the way, then,” Fives said, his tone just shy of sarcastic.

“You, Jedi, go to sleep,” Obi-Wan commanded as he let Fives and Rex file past him out of the room. “And don’t leave this room.” He turned off the lights with a gesture, and when the door closed behind him there was the distinct click of a lock.

It was pitch black, so Anakin closed his eyes and tried to relax. Sleep would most likely make him feel better, which meant come morning he would be better able to tackle the problem of being held captive by a Sith. He tried to push away the burning feelings of shame and frustration; what had happened was over and done with, and he wasn’t dead yet. There had to be some way he could overpower the Sith and take him back to the Republic.

He dozed off with tactics still swirling in his head, exhaustion and pain pulling him down into a dreamless sleep.


	2. The Woman In White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin and the clones take stock of their situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, after battling this chapter for _ages_ , it's finally here, exactly four months later! I'm excited to know what you guys think :D

When Anakin woke, the room was still dark. He lay still, mentally running over every part of his body, cataloguing each ache and stab of pain. There were noticeably less than when he’d fallen asleep; the rest had obviously done him some good.

Experimentally, he moved his arms and legs in incremental degrees. Little flutters of pain raced down each limb as he moved them, but not enough to incapacitate him.

Slowly, moving as carefully as he could manage, he levered himself upward until he was sitting up in bed, then swung his legs over the side. After that effort he had to pause for a few moments to rest, his muscles beginning to ache. It would obviously be a little longer until he was fully healed.

He took a few deep breaths, mentally steadying himself, and then pushed up and onto his feet. The muscles in his legs screamed in protest for a moment, then settled into a dull ache.

He stood, swaying slightly on his feet, and, uncertain that it would work, addressed the room at large. “Lights, on?”

Light leeched slowly into the room as lamps hidden in the walls gradually began to brighten. Anakin was, as he had expected, alone. As far as he could tell the room hadn’t changed; his bed in one corner, a table and chairs in the centre, the closed door in the opposite wall.

Anakin wondered what time it was. Had he woken earlier than his captor expected? If so, he might have a small element of surprise. He wasn’t sure how he could use that, unarmed and aching all over, but he’d look for an opening.

He walked a few circuits around the room, feeling a little strength slowly returning to his legs, and then returned to the bed and lay down. He estimated it took another half hour before the door in the other wall opened.

An unfamiliar human man with dark skin and a huge smile stepped inside. “Breakfast,” he said cheerily, holding up the large tray he was carrying.

His appearance and demeanour were so unexpected, it took Anakin a few seconds to form an adequate response. “Er…thanks.”

“You must be hungry,” the stranger said, walking over and setting the tray down on the table.

Anakin hadn’t actually thought about it, but the sight of the steaming food caused a pang of hunger in his stomach. How long had it been since his last meal? “Yeah,” he said, rolling slowly out of bed and attempting to hide his wince as he stood. “Real hungry. What’s for breakfast?”

“Standard Coruscanti spread,” the man said, setting out bowls with what looked like jam. “Lord Vex said that’s where you come from.”

“…yeah.” Anakin sat down in the chair. “You er…you work for him?”

“I do the cooking and housekeeping. I’m Tenni Chex, by the way.”

“Anakin Skywalker,” Anakin said, his mind turning. A housekeeper? Not what you heard about in the textbooks on Sith, but he supposed everyone had to have clean laundry. “Well, er…thanks for bringing this to me.”

“It’s my pleasure.” Tenni stepped back. “I’ll collect the dishes later. I expect Lord Vex will be by in a moment to chat.” With that he left, leaving Anakin very uneasy as he broke into the spread of breads, jam and rolls. It was delicious and still warm, probably fresh from the oven, and Anakin tried to take some comfort in the fact that they were at least feeding him well.

As promised, Obi-Wan arrived when he was halfway through the meal. “I suppose it’s a good thing you didn’t die in the night,” he said from the doorway, looking Anakin over with a raised brow.

“You would have put me in the medbay if you thought I was in danger of dying,” Anakin said.

“It’s sweet how you’re so certain of that.” Obi-Wan closed the door behind him and came over to stand by the table. “I assume breakfast is satisfactory?”

“Yeah.” Anakin picked up another bread roll. “You know, I never thought about Sith Lords needing cooks.”

“Unfortunately you can’t eat the Dark Side.” Obi-Wan paused, then said, “Well, there is some evidence to support the theory that you _can_ sustain yourself purely on the energy of others absorbed through the Force, but I fear it’s not a technique I have a hope of perfecting in the near future. Thus, I have Tenni.”

“He seems nice.” Anakin eyed his Sith host. “Very upbeat for someone working for a Sith Lord.”

“I’m not in the habit of torturing my employees.”

“That’d be a first. For a Sith Lord.”

Obi-Wan shrugged. “I find they work better when not in constant fear of their lives.”

“How many people do you have working for you?” Anakin asked, interested.

“Enough to keep things running smoothly.” Obi-Wan said obliquely, then changed the subject. “I expect you’ll want to know where your friends are.” When Anakin nodded, he turned to the door and said, “Follow me.”

The corridors Obi-Wan led him through were as quiet as the library had been, with smooth rock walls covered in places with woven hangings, paintings and other pieces of artwork. “You have quite the collection here,” Anakin said, motioning to a Visali statue as they passed by.

“Collecting things is a hobby of mine – it’s rather necessary to running an archive. Most of the more Sith-oriented artwork is downstairs.”

“I…didn’t even know the Sith had their own styles of artwork,” Anakin admitted.

Obi-Wan gave him a mysterious smile. “There are many things the Jedi don’t know about the Sith nowadays.”

They eventually entered a dining hall; it looked like a large cavern, the walls smoothed and softened by hangings, the floor paved over, with several large wooden tables filling the space. Only one was occupied; as they came closer Anakin recognised Tenni, and Luppo, the Bothan from the previous day. With them was another human man and a female Twi’lek with dark magenta skin. Rex and Fives were sitting at the end of the table, both looking fairly comfortable.

They all looked up curiously at Anakin and Obi-Wan’s approach. As they reached the table Obi-Wan motioned to Anakin and said, “Everyone, may I introduce our Jedi guest, Anakin Skywalker. You know Luppo and Tenni; this is our head of security, Aramaya Dohedoa,” the female Twi’lek nodded to him, her expression neutral, “and Dr. Sky, one of our researchers.”

Dr. Sky stood and reached out a hand, which after a moment’s hesitation Anakin shook. “So nice to finally meet a Jedi personally,” he said, smiling; it was a warm, friendly expression. He was a fairly handsome man, with dark hair and pale skin, a few freckles scattered over his nose. “I was interested to hear you decided to visit a Sith Library,” he said as they sat, Anakin taking a seat on the bench beside him. “I was under the impression that the Jedi Order was rather opposed to the Sith’s…methods.”

Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan, who shrugged infinitesimally. “We…don’t like to dismiss the possibility of peaceful relations out of hand.”

“Very sensible, given the current climate,” Sky said, nodding, “A war on two fronts would be a strategic disaster for the Republic at the moment.”

“Don’t talk his ear off with military strategy, Doctor,” Obi-Wan said, a faint hint of amusement in his voice. “I’m afraid I have things to attend to; I’ll leave you all to your meal.” He turned and disappeared through a different door to the one he’d led Anakin in through.

“You’re alright, General?” Rex asked from the other end of the table.

Anakin’s joints still ached a little, but he nodded and put on an unconcerned smile. “Right as rain, Rex. No need to worry.”

Soon after that Luppo left the table, and Anakin found himself drawn into a lively and interesting debate about military tactics with Sky and Aramaya. The way they argued gave Anakin the feeling they’d had this discussion many times before. “You see, Master Skywalker, from my reading – I study the history of the Great Galactic War period primarily – I’ve come to believe that a strategic truce might be the best way for the Republic to achieve a lasting victory,” Sky said. “It would give the Republic time to regroup, to strengthen its hold on certain key worlds, and to train more men like your fine friends.” He nodded at Rex and Fives.

“It’s a nice idea,” Aramaya said, “but the blow to morale would be devastating. I don’t think the Republic could recover enough support to restart the war, if they looked like they were giving up.”

“It would be tricky,” Sky conceded, “but public opinion is fickle. A good public speaker could sell the truce and convince the populace of the need to resume hostilities later – and the current Chancellor _is_ a very persuasive speaker.”

“That’s true,” Anakin shook his head, “The problem is that the Separatists are unwilling to come to the table in the first place. They don’t want to talk; they want to fight.”

“That’s what I keep telling him,” Aramaya said, her tone exasperatedly fond.

Before Sky could reply, a beeping came from the small device at his waist. When he clicked it open, his face brightened. “Ah, Gianna found those books on Sith culture I’ve been looking for.” He stood and nodded to Anakin, “Sorry to cut our discussion short, Master Skywalker, but I’ve been searching for these books for a week now. You should join us this evening for dinner, perhaps we can talk more.”

“I’m sure I’ll see you there,” Anakin said.

After Sky left, there was a moment of slightly awkward silence. Tenni had slipped away unnoticed at some point, which left Anakin sitting directly opposite Aramaya, who was eyeing him with a cool expression. “I take it we’re not allowed to leave,” Anakin said, trying not to sound bitter.

“Lord Vex asked me to inform you that, as is his right as the landowner and planetary governor of Nohir, he has impounded your vessel and will hold you in custody on a charge of trespassing and attempted assault,” Aramaya said evenly. “You’ll be treated as guests, as long as you don’t cause trouble. I don’t know when or if he’ll decide to let you leave.”

“He’s the planetary governor?” Anakin asked incredulously, “How did _that_ happen?”

“I’ve never asked. Nohir is not a terribly valuable planet; I doubt the Senate paid much attention to his application for governorship. It _is_ official, though.” The look in her eyes was steely. “As their representative, you have to abide by it.”

That, Anakin thought to himself, was a smart move. Obi-Wan – Darth Vex – was much more than they had expected. “I’m due a fair trial, under law,” he said.

Aramaya inclined her head. “You’ll get one. As long as you follow the Rules, that is.” She stood. “If you mess with Lord Vex’s Library, I doubt Republic law will save you. You can ask Gianna about finding a copy of the rulebook. She’ll answer from anywhere, but it’ll be easiest at a terminal. I’ll be in the security station if you need me; she’ll be able to guide you there.” With a brisk nod, Aramaya turned and left the room.

“I…assume Gianna is some kind of AI?” Anakin asked the clones.

“Good morning, Master Skywalker,” a disembodied female voice said before either Rex or Fives could reply. “Allow me to introduce myself; I am Gianna, the Artificial Intelligence program tasked with running the Black Library’s software and data terminals, storing digital archives and records, and assisting visitors, researchers and staff as needed. I will be happy to accommodate you as necessary. I must warn you that as suspects held in custody, you and your companions are subject to certain restrictions while within this facility.”

“Well…thank you,” Anakin said. “We’ll talk to you when we need you.”

“Feel free to ask for help at any time, Master Skywalker.”

There was a moment of silence. “So…what’s the plan, General?” Rex asked quietly.

Anakin sighed; there was a lot to take in. “I suppose…If Darth Vex really _is_ the planetary governor, then we need to abide by the law.”

Fives snorted dismissively. “Who makes a Sith Lord the governor of a planet? Odds are good they’re scamming us, General. Why should we believe whatever someone who’s paid by him says, anyway?”

Anakin nodded. “You make a good point. Still, if it _is_ true, they’ll have to allow us to contact Coruscant at some point, to organise our defence; I doubt they have a neutral lawyer on this planet. When they do, we can check the story out.” He paused, thinking. Getting in touch with Coruscant and the Council was his main goal; but how to make it happen? Play along and hope an opportunity to communicate would materialise in the near future? Or take matters into his own hands?

 _There’s no way I can trust a Sith Lord, no matter who he says he is or what titles the Senate apparently bestowed on him_. “I think our best plan is to try and find a communicator of some kind,” Anakin said quietly, leaning closer to the clones. He wasn’t sure if the AI was still listening or not, or how sensitive her audial receptors were. “We’ll probably have to find a communications center of some kind, to find a long range transmitter.”

“Or get to our ship?” Fives suggested.

Rex shook his head. “Wouldn’t be able to get a signal out, this far underground.”

“Plus, I’m betting they’re pretty serious about that impoundment. That means no comms as well as no engines.” Anakin glanced around and spotted a terminal on the far wall. “Let’s see if we can download a map from over there.”

The clones nodded and they made their way over, inspecting the interface. A twisting symbol that looked vaguely like a rune of some kind floated on the display, black on red. Anakin tapped the screen once, which brought up a fairly average-looking terminal desktop, with several program icons in neat rows on the left hand side of the screen. Icons for a holonet browser and a communication program were noticeably missing.

Anakin spent a few minutes browsing through files and programs without success. “I can’t see anything that looks like a map in here,” he said, frustrated.

“We could ask the AI, sir,” Rex suggested.

“I’d rather interact as little as possible with anyone under Darth Vex’s influence.” Anakin stood up and stepped back, scrutinising the terminal, then grinned. “Here; I think I have a more direct solution.” He knelt down and looked closer at the panel below the terminal, then said, “Can you bring me one of those knives from the table?”

It took a lot of careful fiddling, but eventually Anakin managed to lever the wall plate off using only the stolen cutlery, revealing a mass of wires and circuit boards underneath.

Fives rubbed his hands together enthusiastically. “Look at this! Should be able to slice right into the system, General!”

“I don’t think so, buddy,” a rather piqued voice said; it took a moment for Anakin to place it as the AI.

“I thought I told you to ignore us?” Anakin said.

“As I mentioned earlier, you are subject to certain restrictions due to your status as suspects. Property damage and attempted security breaches will not help your case,” Gianna said pointedly.

Anakin sighed. “Fine. I…don’t know what to do about this wall plate, though.”

“I’ll have someone come by and fix it,” Gianna said, sounding rather annoyed.

 “Thanks. So… _is_ there any way we could gain access to a communication device, Gianna?”

“I’m afraid you would need permission from Lord Vex to access such a device, Master Skywalker. I would forward your request, but he is currently indisposed. I am sure he will allow you outside contact soon if you make an effort to abide by galactic law statutes.”

 _Great. Not only is the AI apparently always listening, but she’s sassy to boot_. “What _can_ we do while we wait?” he asked irritably.

“Lord Vex asked me to provide you with copies of the rules by which the Black Library is governed, so that you might familiarise yourselves with them and avoid incident.”

Anakin sighed. “Fine. Bring up a copy, I guess.”

“I can send it to your personal device if that would be easier.”

“My personal device seems to have disappeared,” Anakin said sardonically; it had been one of the items missing from his belt when he woke up. “The terminal will do fine.”

“Very well.” There was a pause, and then the terminal beeped. “Please ask for assistance if you encounter any trouble with the language; it is highly technical.”

“Sure, I’ll do that.” Anakin sat in the terminal’s chair and keyed up the file marked ‘Official Black Library Rules’, trying to recall what little he remembered of a long ago Temple class that covered legal documents. The clones came to stand behind him as the document loaded, the title page appearing on the screen; the words ‘Rules and Regulations of the Black Library; A Proper Conduct Guide for Visitors, Researchers, Employees and Other Guests’ were blazoned in a clear black font across a white background. Anakin checked the page count and baulked. “Gianna, this document is over two thousand pages long.”

“The Rules are very comprehensive.”

“You don’t have a…shorter version? A summary of some kind?”

There was a pause. “No,” Gianna said flatly.

Anakin winced. He could force himself into reading important documents, manuals, and textbooks, but he’d never been the most enthusiastic reader. Two thousand pages plus was not going to happen.

“I think we can survive without reading it,” he said, getting up from the terminal. “We’ve been in libraries before, and we know how to be good houseguests.”

“Master Skywalker, I would strongly suggest-”

“It’s _not_ going to happen, Gianna,” Anakin said firmly. “Come on, guys.” He led an unprotesting Rex and Fives out of the room.

Walking down the corridor outside, Rex cleared his throat. “Er, General, actually…”

“Yeah?”

“I… don’t think Fives and I have ever been into a library before.”

“Oh.” They turned a corner and entered another long, nearly identical corridor. Anakin cursed internally; he really should have looked at that map he’d been meaning to bring up. _That’s what you get for a dramatic exit_. “It’s simple; be quiet and don’t touch anything.”

Both clones nodded. They continued onward down several very similar hallways, long stretches of smooth-walled rock with carpeted floors and the occasional piece of artwork displayed on a stand or hung on the wall. Doors opened off the corridors, but they were all closed, and Anakin didn’t feel quite confident enough to go poking into unknown spaces in a Sith Lord’s lair. They were probably all locked, anyway.

Eventually they came to a larger set of double doors, about Anakin’s height and half again. Pushing them open, Anakin led the others into a familiar room. “This is the library proper,” he said, lowering his voice to a whisper.

Concentrating, he extended his senses outward. The library room was vast, hundreds and hundreds of shelves going on and on into the semi-gloom. He could feel Force signatures further into the stacks; someone moving along the shelves, and two people stationary at different fixed points, probably working at desks.

“Do you think we’ll find anything in here, General?” Rex asked quietly.

Anakin frowned. There was certainly a _lot_ in here; Madame Nu would have a field day with all the undiscovered information these texts contained. But none of that was pertinent to getting them out. “Alright,” he said, “I don’t know how or if we can get out of here, but we might as well do some recon, get a grip on our surroundings. I know one of the exits of this place is on the other side of this room somewhere; that’s how I got in. But there’s no point getting there without our ship. Do you know where it is?”

They glanced at each other. “We were marched off the ship into some kind of hangar bay, and from there to the room we slept in,” Rex said. “We could try to retrace our steps.”

“Try it. And see if you can get a map from one of the terminals while you’re at it. You still have some kind of timekeeping device?” They both nodded. “Okay. Meet me back here in four hours, and we’ll compare what we’ve found.” It probably wouldn’t take him anywhere near that long to find the other doorway, but he could look at other areas while they searched for the hangar bay.

Both clones saluted, then marched off through the doorway. Left alone, Anakin picked an aisle between the stacks and started walking.

It was just as claustrophobic and eerily silent in amongst the shelves as he remembered. Once again, Anakin couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching him, though he knew how little sense that made. The flickers that looked like movement in his peripheral vision were still there, as much as he tried to ignore them, and sometimes he thought he heard – was that whispering? He stopped, turning in a slow, deliberate circle. There was nothing and no one around him but the endless shelves and books.

It took him another hour to navigate through the shelves – steering clear of the other Force signatures for security’s sake – and find the doors he’d originally entered the library through. They were exactly as he remembered them; taller than three of him, thick and heavy, made out of what Anakin assumed was the same dark wood as all the shelves. He gave them an experimental push; nothing happened. Turning the handle had a similar effect – namely, nothing.

“You’re trying to leave?” a voice behind him asked.

He turned to see Aramaya, her arms crossed and stance tense, regarding him coolly. There was a blaster strapped to her hip and what looked like a stave on her back, neither of which she’d had before.

“I’m…experimenting,” Anakin said, trying to sound casual. “Last time it just opened.”

“That was an unfortunate oversight,” Aramaya said. She didn’t sound amused. Anakin couldn’t help but notice how the cut of her sleeveless top exposed very well-muscled arms and shoulders; combine them with the stave and the expertise that was telegraphed just in the way Aramaya held herself, and he could have a problem.

“Don’t worry, I can see it’s been rectified,” Anakin said. “I hope you won’t blame me for looking around a bit. Jedi can be jumpy in unfamiliar environments.”

Aramaya looked unconvinced, but before she could reply, a clicking sound came from the door. Her eyes darted to it, her expression shocked; Anakin whirled around just as the door began to open.

It creaked forward and then swung wide, revealing someone standing on the other side. A small figure in simple white clothes, her dark brown hair up in braids and speckled ever so slightly with white, a bag slung across her back.

For a moment, Anakin couldn’t make sense of what his eyes were telling him; then he couldn’t believe it. _It doesn’t make sense- it can’t- it_ can’t- He couldn’t think; he could barely _breathe_.

From behind him Aramaya said something, but her words were lost in the ringing that filled his ears. The woman in front of him didn’t react either, staring at Anakin with a mixture of shock and wonder plain on her painfully familiar face.

Eventually, Anakin managed to drag one single word up through his choked throat.

“…Mom?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heheheheh. Cliffhanger (ish?)
> 
> More soon!


	3. Far From The Madding Crowd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin comes to terms with the fact that his mother has returned...among other things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One day I will update this fic with something approaching regularity. One day.

Fainting in a situation like that, Anakin assured himself, was not that unlikely. The stress of the situation, lingering aftereffects of being shocked into unconsciousness, and then to top it all off, seeing his mother again after twelve years...Yes, it was not all that surprising that he’d fainted dead away from the stress of it all. 

That was what he kept telling himself, anyway.

“Not exactly a standard response, Master Skywalker, but not entirely unexpected.” The Library’s live-in doctor, a human man called Arius Radley, was running his eye over Anakin’s bioscan results. “He should have been brought to me after his...encounter with Lord Vex,” he added, looking disapprovingly over at Aramaya. 

She shrugged. “I did what I was told, doctor.”

“Indeed.” Radley turned back to Anakin. “Well, you’re free to go, Master Skywalker. Try to take it easy, if you please.”

Anakin got up from the examination bed and walked over to the door. Aramaya made to follow him, but Radley called, “A moment, Miss Dohedoa, if you please?” Anakin paused, but she waved him on.

Outside in the corridor, alone once again, Anakin paused and stopped to breathe deeply in and out once or twice, to try and orient himself again and get his head on straight.

So. His mother was alive. His mother was alive, and somehow here in the secret lair of a Sith Lord. 

It didn’t make...well, it didn’t make any sense at all, but those were the facts he had to work with.

He hadn’t seen her disappear, but that had probably been sometime during the few seconds he’d been unconscious, or when he was stumbling along beside Aramaya as she guided him to the infirmary. 

She’d reappear in due time, though. He was certain of that.

He started off down the corridor, not eager to linger and have Aramaya resume following him. He didn’t exactly have a target; he estimated that about half of the agreed four hour time limit had come and gone, which meant Rex and Fives wouldn’t be heading back to the library room yet and would be who knew where. He also had no idea where his mother was or where to start looking for her, or where Vex was, or…

Anakin stopped at the intersection of four corridors and sighed to himself. He had absolutely no idea where  _ he _ was. “Gianna,” he said defeatedly, “Can you guide me back to the main library room?”

“Certainly, Master Skywalker,” Gianna said. Did he imagine the smugness in her voice? “Take the corridor on your immediate left.”

His mother, it turned out, was waiting for him in the library. “I thought you might come back here,” she said. She was sitting at one of the desks between the shelves; Anakin had felt and followed her Force signature the moment he walked in. She gestured to the desk opposite. “You should sit down, especially after fainting.”

“I’m not usually that delicate,” Anakin said, sitting.

Shmi laughed. “I know, darling. Trust me, I know that very well.”

They sat, looking at each other, for a long moment. There were so many things Anakin wanted to say, so much emotion building in his chest, but he couldn’t find the words to let it out. “There’s- I mean- this is...very unexpected,” he eventually managed.

“Very,” Shmi agreed. “In those first few moments I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing.”

“You and me both.” Anakin shook his head. “I just...how? How did you...well... _ everything _ ?” 

“I think you mean, ‘how did you escape slavery, get off Tatooine, and wind up here, mother?’” Shmi said with an amused smile.

“Er...yeah. All of that, really.”

“It’s a long story.” Anakin could tell from the way she sighed that it was also not a happy one. “In short: Watto died, I was quick enough to disable my tracker and get away, and a starship crew was very happy with their new mechanic.”

That wasn’t the whole story, he could tell, but he didn’t push it. “The bat’s finally dead, then.” He resisted the urge to spit or curse. “Good riddance.”

“To bad rubbish,” Shmi said with feeling. “Yes, he’s gone. A heart condition, I think; I didn’t stop to check thoroughly.”

Anakin laughed without much humour. “Yeah, I can imagine.”

The silence lingered for a second, and Anakin changed the topic quickly, eager to banish Watto’s spectre. “That still doesn’t explain how you came to be here.”

“Research. I’ve had more than a few adventures while you’ve been with the Jedi,” Shmi said, grinning. “Over the course of them I’ve somehow managed to develop a keen interest in archeology.”

“Archeology,” Anakin echoed. “Sounds fun.”

“It’s not your area of interest, I take it?”

“I wouldn’t say no to a field trip,” Anakin grinned. His mother raised an eyebrow. “You know me, mom. I’m more about action than studying.”

“Believe me, I know that.” Shmi sighed affectionately. “You haven’t changed so much as I feared, I think.”

“As you feared?” Anakin asked. “What did you- I mean-”

“It’s been twelve years, Ani, and you were a boy when I saw you last. You could have become a different person. Especially under the Jedi. They’re very...different, from normal people.”

Was he imagining an undercurrent of bitterness in her voice? It was hard to tell; nothing of the sort showed on her face.

_ Do you regret giving me to them?  _ The question was on the tip of his tongue, but he didn’t voice it. He didn’t want to open that discussion and everything it might bring. 

“So what about you, Anakin? How did you come to be here?” Shmi asked.

“I don’t think we’ve finished with your story yet.” Having an interest in archeology didn’t explain how she’d convinced a Sith Lord to let her into his lair; though knowing his mother, she’d probably gotten in on talk alone.

Shmi shook her head. “Oh no, that’s finished with. I want to know what lured you in here, my son. It’s dangerous for a Jedi to meddle with a Sith Lord.”

“He’s why I’m here,” Anakin said, conceding. He’d have the rest of her story later, he promised himself. “The Jedi Council sent me to apprehend him.”

“I imagine that did not go as well as you hoped, judging by the current state of affairs. Are you his prisoner?”

“I’m in his custody, I think. Apparently he’s the governor of this planet.”

Shmi nodded. “That he is. Well, in that case we could convince him to let you go without charges.”

Anakin resisted the urge to laugh. “He won’t just let me go.”

Shmi’s small smile was enigmatic. “You might be surprised.” She stood suddenly, smoothing down her skirt. “Wait here.”

/

Anakin had waited, sitting in silence, for as long as he could bear, but soon enough he needed to do... _ something _ . He wandered to a nearby terminal and checked the time; the four hours he’d given the clones had almost expired, so he went to wait at the library doors.

Rex and Fives appeared within about half an hour. “General.” Rex saluted as they stopped in front of him. “I’m sorry to report we had no success in getting to the ship, sir.”

“We found it, eventually,” Fives added. “But that AI has the whole hangar locked down tight, sir.”

Anakin sighed; he’d been expecting that. “Well, at least we know where it is. Thank you.” He gestured behind him, and the clones both followed as he went back into the library. “Did you find anything else of interest?”

“Lots of doors the AI wouldn’t open,” Fives said. “She wouldn’t let us go below the fifth level, either. There was a big metal door three floors down with some very interesting noises coming from it, that she, predictably, wouldn’t open either. I feel like we’re being kept to the residential areas, sir.”

“Or maybe just the safe areas,” Anakin said. They’d re-entered the main library room, so he lowered his voice, glancing around at the shelves. He could feel there was no one around through the Force, but the paranoia hadn’t lessened any. “Who knows what this Sith Lord could be hiding.”

“But that’s still something you’d like to see, right, sir?” Fives asked. He sounded amused.

Anakin grinned. “You bet.”

“Did you find anything interesting while we were gone, sir?” Rex asked. 

_ Just one interesting little matter.  _ Anakin had no idea how to even start talking about the fact that his mother had unexpectedly appeared in front of him, so he just said, “A few interesting things, yeah. We won’t be able to get out the way I came in, that’s for sure. They’ve locked that entrance.” He sighed. “I have a feeling they’ve locked every entrance.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me, sir.” Rex folded his arms. “Looks like we’ll have to try something less obvious.” He glanced around, then lowered his voice. “And maybe plan it somewhere the AI can’t hear us.”

“I can hear you everywhere in the facility, Captain,” Gianna’s voice said; this time she  _ definitely  _ sounded smug.

“Not being overheard might be a bit of a tall order,” Anakin said. 

“So...what now, sir?” Rex asked.

Honestly, Anakin had no idea. His mother had asked him to wait; obviously she had something in mind, but he couldn’t guess what. She must know something he didn’t - did she know Obi-Wan, maybe? That would explain why she seemed to know more than Anakin did about him, but it would also raise a whole slew of other questions. 

“I suppose we’ll have to wait for the Sith Lord to make his next move,” Anakin said. “I think that’s all we can do at this point.”

“So we’ll just have to amuse ourselves, huh?” Fives looked around at the shelves. “Some light reading, then?”

“I’d be careful in here. Some of these books are steeped in the dark side.”

Fives frowned. “Even the  _ books  _ are dark side here?”

Anakin paused for a moment, considering the best way to explain it. “They’re infused with dark side power. There’s a sort of...dark energy within them. How it attaches itself to the physical object is hard to explain, but it’s there. And it’s usually not a good idea to pick something like that up.”

“I figured,” Fives said, grinning cheekily, earning himself a glare from Rex.

Anakin just laughed. “I can pick out which ones are safe to read, though, I think. If you wanted to.”

“There is also a more conventional library in the next room, with fiction and non-fiction options,” Gianna said. “You might also like to visit the observation deck, which gives a panoramic view of one of Nohir’s largest mountain ranges and some of the salt flats to the east. There is also a fully equipped gym and swimming facility, should anyone be interested.”

“Colour me most definitely interested,” Fives said. Then he paused and looked at Anakin. “Er. If that’s alright with you, sir?”

The idea of a swimming pool sounded great to Anakin, but he didn’t want to miss meeting his mother. “Go ahead,” he said, waving a hand. “I’m sure Gianna can get a message to you if I need you.”

Fives saluted and disappeared out of the doors; after a moment’s hesitation, Rex followed suit. 

Anakin heaved a heavy sigh and looked around again. The moment he was alone, the paranoia got stronger. He could  _ swear  _ someone was watching him - but he was  _ sure  _ there was no one around. 

Well. Aside from whoever that was coming up through the stacks toward him.

About a minute later, Doctor Sky appeared from behind the shelves. “Ah, Master Skywalker. I thought I heard people talking over here.”

If he’d actually heard them, he had much better hearing than the average human. Anakin wondered if that was just a conversation starter, or if he was actually something other - or a little more - than human. 

Anyway. It didn’t really matter. “Good morning,” he said, “I hope your research is going well.”

“Very.” Sky held up the book in his hands. “The library is impeccably stocked.”

Anakin could just about read the title of the book Sky held; gold embossed print on the black leather front cover read, ‘ _ The Heart of Darkness; The Culture and Government of Dromund Kaas During the Great Galactic War _ ’. “So your area of interest is Sith culture?” he asked.

“My focus at the moment is Sith culture, yes. Really, everything about the Great Galactic War period fascinates me; the Empire, the Republic, the Sith, the Jedi, the Cold War…”

“That’s where you got the idea about a truce with the Separatists?” Anakin asked.

“Yes. Admittedly, it didn’t go well for the Republic; because it was a ploy by the Empire, obviously, but...”

“We could use the same tactic,” Anakin said slowly. “Sue for peace to lull them into a false sense of security-”

“And then attack Raxus while their backs were turned?” Sky shrugged. “Not an honourable strategy, though one that might work, I suppose. Although, Count Dooku is a very clever man, and not one easily drawn into a trap. He might expect such a betrayal.”

“That he might.” Anakin sighed. “Honestly, I think Aramaya was right. The Senate would never agree to stop the war.”

“Yes.” Sky shook his head. “An unfortunate reality of democracy, that those unversed in military strategy end up being the ones making the decisions.”

Anakin gave him a sidelong look. “An unfortunate reality of democracy?”

“Not that I’m advocating for some kind of military state, Master Skywalker. They have a history of instability, sentient rights abuses and economic disaster, after all. But I do wonder how much any senator really knows about warfare, and how wise it is to let them make such pivotal decisions about strategy.”

Anakin paused, thinking. “True. But they are supposed to know what’s best for the people, and for the government.”

“Also true. So who  _ is  _ best to lead the war effort?” Sky smiled at him. “These are questions societies have grappled with for hundreds of years, Master Skywalker. No one has come to a definitive answer yet.”

“You, er...you can just call me Anakin,” Anakin said. 

Sky blinked. “Oh. Yes, of course! Sorry. You, um- I mean, most people here just call me Sky. It’s easier.” He started speaking again before Anakin could ask what it was easier than. “You’re considering reading some of these texts, then? Master Kenobi tells me it’s dangerous to touch some of the books.”

“I can tell which ones are dangerous,” Anakin said, “At least, I think I can. I can...feel them through the Force.”

“Oh! That makes sense. I, er, didn’t really understand the explanation of how the...dark energy? Yes? I didn’t understand how exactly it’s supposed to attach itself to the books...to be honest, I thought dark energy had something to do with the substances that make up the universe…”

“It does,” Anakin said. “I mean, that’s a different dark energy. The dark energy we’re talking about here is part of the Force. Though, I suppose the Force  _ is _ the thing binding the substances that make up the universe together, but the two energies are different, somehow…”

They exchanged a look, and they both laughed. It sounded incredibly loud in the quiet library.

“I really don’t know anything about physics,” Sky said. “My doctorate is in Galactic History, after all.”

“I do starship and flight physics,” Anakin said. “That’s about the extent of my knowledge.”

Sky laughed and said something else, but Anakin didn’t hear; a sudden burst of dark presence on the edge of his Force sense distracted him.

Obi-Wan was back, and he was close.

“Er...Anakin?”

“Sorry.” Anakin shook his head. “It’s all this darkness in the Force. It’s distracting.”

“You feel it as a physical force?” Sky’s eyes gleamed with interest.

“Er...more mental-” Anakin was saved from having to awkwardly try and explain the Force by the appearance of Obi-Wan, closely followed by his mother. “Oh. Hello.”

“Gianna and Aramaya tell me you’re getting into mischief,” Obi-Wan said. 

“Did you expect anything different?”

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. “You see?” he asked, half turning to direct the question at Shmi. “He’s not exactly gracious.”

“You  _ did  _ capture him,” Shmi pointed out.

“He  _ did  _ invade my home and try to attack me,” Obi-Wan countered.

“Because he’s a trusted agent of the Republic, who sent him here to do just that,” Shmi said. “The only reason they gave you the position of planetary governor here was because it meant nothing to them. If you try and prosecute one of their star Jedi, they’ll pull the rug out from under you. You know what they’re like.”

“Regrettably, sir, I think she’s right,” Sky interjected. “The Republic is known for it’s rather  _ interesting  _ take on due process.”

Obi-Wan’s scowl was quite something to behold. He glared at Anakin silently for a few minutes, then sighed and threw up his hands. “Fine.  _ Fine _ . But only for you,” he stabbed a finger at Shmi. “Don’t think I would agree if anyone else tried twisting my arm like this.” He made a dismissive gesture and turned away. “Find your clones and get out of here, Jedi. Your ship is no longer impounded.” Then he vanished among the stacks.

After a moment’s silence, Sky said, “Well, it was nice to meet you, Anakin. Excuse me.” 

When they were alone again, Anakin said, “That seemed too easy.”

“That was the product of a rather protracted argument,” Shmi said. “Thankfully, I know how to bring Obi-Wan around to my point of view.”

“You know...how, exactly, do you know him?” Anakin asked.

“It’s a long story.” She held up a hand to forestall Anakin’s protest. “I’ll tell you about it sometime. For now, I think you should leave before he changes his mind. He has been known to do that, even with my influence.”

There was something  _ very  _ strange going on here, and it wasn’t something Anakin was sure he liked. But he’d always believed his mother knew best; he’d have to trust her. “Will you come...I mean, maybe I’ll see you? On Coruscant, or, somewhere?”

Shmi smiled warmly. “Now that we’ve found each other, Ani, you think I won’t see you again? I have ways of getting around the galaxy.” She winked. “Now, let me walk you to your ship. I’m assuming you don’t know the way.”

_ And you must have been here a lot more than you let on if you  _ do _ ,  _ Anakin thought, but he just said, “Sure. Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come see me at darthrevaan.tumblr.com for questions, ficbits or just a chat ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to hamelin-born for the title ;)


End file.
